Puzzle Pieces: Chapter One
by TributePotterhead
Summary: This is not the first fanfiction I have written but is the first one I am publishing. Just keep in mind that I am nothing but professional. Please review, it helps me as a writer. Enjoy! Though I want to, I still don't own Avatar...
1. Puzzle Pieces Chapter 1

Puzzle Pieces Chapter One:

Spirits

The ceremony was perfect. Perfect for Sokka. All it did for Toph was break her heart into a million little puzzle pieces. Sokka and his new wife escaped from the reception for their honeymoon. Toph sat, holding back tears, on a chair in the corner. She knew she should have told him. She knew that she waited too long. It was obvious he didn't feel the same way about her that she did him. It was obvious he was too busy chasing around Yue and Suki to notice the little blind girl Toph once was. Toph was no longer a little girl, she was a woman, Sokka was simply too blind to see it.

Toph was in shock. She could only stare blankly at the wall. Sokka was off living his fantasy while Toph could only stand by and watch her fantasy slip out of her fingers. And that would have to be enough. The catch is it will never be enough.

Toph suddenly got to her feet and made her way to the door. She didn't even hear the pleas of a distraught Katara stop her. Toph just kept moving straight to the door, straight to her safe haven. Straight to the cliff.

Once she sat down on the cliff, she didn't move for days. Not even Aang could coax her back inside. Twinkletoes could always lift her spirits. For weeks, Toph sat on the cliff, staring into the black sea, the salty air digging into her skin and making raw.

Four weeks after the wedding, Sokka and Suki returned to a house void of Sokka's one and only best friend. "Where's Toph?" Sokka asked Aang.

"At the cliff. She's been there for days." A concerned Aang said in reply. Before Aang even finished his last word, Sokka was out of the building before Aang could have a second breath.

As promised, Sokka found Toph sitting on the cliff side, staring blankly into the dark sea. Sokka sat next to his best friend. Toph barely noticed. He stared into her vacant eyes, clouded with blindness but still beautiful as anything, and realized how beautiful they truly were. Sokka tried to grab her hand, but Toph jerked it away. "Toph—"

She cut him off. "Save it for someone who cares." Her words sounded as though she meant them with her whole heart but behind the words was a broken soul living a meaningless life.

"I thought I was…" Sokka trailed off. Toph returned her gaze to the sea. "Toph what's wrong?" Sokka sounded truly concerned.

"Nothing. Why do you care? You have a perfect life now, right?" Toph's tone was harsh.

"Perfect minus a best friend." Sokka said,

Toph was getting irritated. Why did he have to be so sweet and caring? "Just go get a new one. It shouldn't be that hard for a smart…funny…clever person like you." Toph stopped herself. _Don't do this. He's married._

"Yea I could get another best friend, just not like one like you." Sokka was at it again. _Stopped being so sweet._ Toph demanded him in her mind.

Toph didn't respond to this. She just continued to stare blankly into the stormy sea. Sokka placed a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off. Toph was having nothing to do with him now. She couldn't, it was simply too painful.

Toph stood up. "Toph, what are you doing? Sit down." Sokka's voice was shaking with fear.

"The Water Tribe spirits are the ocean and moon right?" Toph didn't wait for Sokka's reply. "Well, Yue is the moon spirit and now you'll have me as the ocean spirit." Toph finished, jumping from the cliff. Sokka was quick to react. He reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her back onto the cliff.

"What is this about?" Sokka was a little too oblivious.

Toph didn't hesitate to respond. "You are off living your fantasy while I have to watch mine slip out of my fingers."

"What do you mean?" It still hadn't clicked. It took a moment longer. "Oh. Toph, I am so sorry. If I had known."

"Whatever." Toph said, turning her face away from him. Sokka turned her face and pulled her up to her feet. He urgently kissed her. She was kissing him back, to his surprise.

"Toph, I was afraid that you would beat me senseless if I confessed that I love you." Sokka said apologetically.

"Well what's done is done. We can't change the fact that you're married so you should probably go." Toph said her tone also apologetic.

Suki stepped from the shadows. "No. Sokka, we are _over_." Her tone was full of pain.

Sokka felt like he couldn't breathe. The puzzle pieces were falling into place. "Great. That's the perfect way to start off a relationship." Toph said sarcastically. Sokka laughed, wrapping his arms around her. Toph didn't reject him. He was the final puzzle piece to a perfect life.

A smile crept its way onto Toph's face. It hadn't been seen in a month. She shouldn't have been happy but she couldn't

Toph couldn't have been happier. All the puzzle pieces of a happy life had been put together and she had the love of her life. Everything was perfect; Toph had everything she needed—Sokka and the earth—and Sokka had Toph.

"Toph," Sokka asked, rolling over to face her on the other side of the bed. "Katara has mastered healing using Waterbending and I want her to try giving you your sight."

"Okay." Toph said, staring at the ceiling. "Sounds good to me."

Toph's screams of pain erupted from the small hut. Sokka stood outside, arms crossed, resisting the urge to run in and stop Katara. _This is what Toph wants. This is what_ _I want for her. _Sokka thought, trying to justify his not running in there to ease her pain.

Toph squirmed in discomfort, adding difficulty to Katara's job of giving her sight. "Toph! Would you _please_ sit still?"

"I'm sorry if your healing treatments are causing me pain." Toph grunted in a sarcastic tone that was barely understandable.

"Geez! Toph I'm doing you a _favor_. All I want is a little cooperation, ok?" Katara said, her tone exasperated.

Toph sighed. "Actually, you're doing Sokka a favor. He's the one who wanted this for me. What kind of person would I be if I denied his dream of me sight?"

This caused Katara to stop all together. "What? You're not saying you didn't want this, are you?"

"No! I wanted this, just not as bad as Sokka does." Toph said and Katara continued in her healing treatment.

After hours of concentration, fear, and pain—pain mostly on Toph's part—Katara bended her water into the pouch at her waist. "There Toph." She said. "Open your eyes."

Toph opened her eyes. To her disappointment, her eyes were still just as blind as they had been the day she was born.

In the following weeks, Toph decided to visit her parents. through the gates brought mixed feelings for Toph. She didn't know how to be the perfect noblewoman anymore. She didn't know how to be anyone else than the blind Earthbender she once was. Toph didn't know how to be someone perfect.

Visiting home couldn't have been a bigger mistake for Toph. It only jostled the puzzle pieces apart. Toph walked through the doors of her old home. There her father sat, staring blankly out the window. "Dad, what happened?" she asked, sitting next to him on the couch.

"Your mother passed away during childbirth." Lao said sadly.

"Oh. Did the child live?" Toph asked.

Her father turned to her. "Yes Toph. She is upstairs."

That was all Toph needed. She bolted up the stairs to where she could hear small whimpers. She pulled open the door. The child lay, fussing, in a crib. Toph did something no one expected. She reached down and picked the child up. She turned to the nurse. "Does she have a name?"

"Her name is Lin. Your father doesn't know what to do with him."

Toph swallowed the lump in her throat and made the decision that would further jostle the puzzle pieces. "I'll take her. Me and Sokka can take care of her."

"Alright." The nurse said, giving her a large bag with supplies she would need. Toph immediately left the manor, a squirming Lin in her arms. She didn't want to stick around to only be stifled.

Toph traveled back to her home in the South Pole. Katara was happy to see Toph was finally accepting her motherly instincts. Sokka was simply surprised to see the squirming Lin in her arms. "I have someone for you to meet. Sokka this is Lin, my little sister."

"Ok." Sokka said, slightly confused.

"My mother died in child labor and my father didn't know what to do with her so I said we could take her."

Katara was jumping up and down in the corner of the small animal hide tent. Aang came in from avatar duties in the Fire Nation. "Hey." He said, kissing Katara on the neck.

"Hi." Toph said, controlling the wiggly Lin. "I promised my dad that me and Sokka would take care of this little tyke."

"Fun! So I guess you and Sokka will be starting your family while Katara and I are starting ours."

Sokka flung his arms about. "Woah! Whoever said anything about starting a family?"

"Oh come on Sokka. You have to take care of Lin now and eventually you and Toph will have children of your own." Katara said, pointing out the obvious truth.

"Hold on a minute! We're not even married yet." Sokka said hurriedly.

Katara looked sickened. "Then why do you sleep in the same bed at night?"

"That was one time!"

Katara sighed. "Well get on with it then!"

"What if I'm not ready to get tied down with marriage yet?"

Katara dragged Toph through all the gown shops in the North Pole in search of the perfect wedding gown. "Try this on one."

"Sure."

"Ok." Katara said, pushing Toph toward the dressing rooms. She closed the door and Toph slipped on the long, whit thing. She stepped from the dressing room. Katara gasped. Never in her life had she seen Toph look so beautiful. "What do you think?"

"I think it's beautiful. You should get that one." Katara said pulling out her wallet. Toph brought out the dress and slapped the wallet out of Katara's hands.

"No, no I'll pay." Toph said. "Besides, we have to find your dress."

"What do you mean?" Katara asked.

Toph sighed. "Do you wanna be my maid of honor or not?"

"Ooh goodie!" Katara said, ecstatic. She turned to racks of dresses. "What are your colors?"

"I don't know." Toph said, coldly, without hesitating. She picked a random dress from the rack. "This would look wonderful on you." Her tone was flat. It's not like she could see.

Katara took the dress and the other two she found and walked to the dressing room. She walked out again, in the first dress.. "I think this is the one." Katara said.

"Ok, let me get my wallet."

Butterflies flew around Toph's stomach. Today her life would change in some large ways. Today she would marry Sokka and start their family. Katara helped Toph get into her dress, did her hair, and set her up to walk down the aisle on her father's arm. The music started and Abigail led Mai, Ty Lee, and Katara in the wedding procession. Sokka's hands began to sweat. Should he be so nervous? Toph just looked so beautiful; Sokka had never seen her look like that.

Sokka looked down at his shoes. When he looked back up, Toph was standing on the other side of the alter. The wedding began. "Speak now or forever hold your piece." The preacher said. Thankfully no one stood up. Sokka knew it was a good choice not to invite Suki. "You may kiss the bride."

The puzzle pieces were falling into place.


	2. Puzzle Pieces Chapter 2

Puzzle Pieces Chapter Two:

Forever and Always

Toph's skin was clammy. She thrashed in the midst of a nightmare. Sokka was helpless in this respect. It made him sick to watch Toph thrash about and having no power against it. He just couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that came over him. He felt terrible that he couldn't help her. Sokka had an idea. He sat up, leaned over her, and pressed his lips against hers in urgency. Her muscles seemed to relax only to tense once again.

Sokka's face had a look of pain sweep over it. It was the same look as whenever she felt pain. Toph and Sokka were so in sync that whenever Toph felt pain, Sokka felt it as well. His eyes squeezed shut in agony. Nothing was worse for him than watching his woman feel pain and being useless against it.

Toph suddenly sat straight up. She looked around; Sokka noticed sweat was gathering on her brow. He reached over and wiped it away. Toph's face turned to look into Sokka's deep, cobalt eyes. They were beautiful in the dim lighting. Sokka's face was suddenly leaning in closer to hers. His lips pressed against hers. "Go back to sleep." He whispered, his lips barely parting from hers.

Toph slept for a while until Lin fussed. She got up, as Sokka was sound asleep, and plucked Lin from her crib. She walked to the living room. It was dark, but Toph was used to darkness, it wasn't until about a month ago that she lived in light. She silently rocked Lin to sleep—this was difficult as Lin was worked up. Finally Lin fell into sleep's spell. Toph didn't move for fear she would wake Lin.

Toph held a sleeping Lin in her arms. Sokka emerged from the bedroom and wrapped his arms around Toph and their young, adopted daughter. Everything was perfect. The puzzle pieces had fallen into place and nothing could make them move. Toph finally found true happiness.

Sokka took the sleeping child and placed her in her crib. He returned to the dimly lit living room and placed his hands on Toph's swollen belly, knelt down on the ground, and kissed it. Toph was surprised at his paternal instincts. She had never envisioned Sokka as the real fatherly type. Sokka had proved her wrong.

He led her back to their bedroom and tucked her into bed. "I'll take care of Lin tonight." Sokka said gently. Toph didn't refuse; she needed a good night's rest. She slipped into a deep sleep. Sokka soon joined her.

Morning light spilled across their eyelids. Sokka rolled over and slipped one arm beneath Toph and one onto of her. He kissed her neck. Lin's whimpers ruined the moment as they echoed about the room. Toph got up to move to the crib. "No, I've got it." Sokka said, slipping from the covers and picked up Lin from the crib. She immediately settled.

Toph let a smile slip onto her face. Sokka was proving to be more than Toph imagined her would be. He was the perfect husband. He tried his best and his best was pretty dang good. It was better than good. Heck it was better than great. It was the best.

"You had a nightmare last night. Wanna tell me about it?" Sokka asked as he packed their bags for the trip to Ba Sing Se Toph and Sokka were going to make in the next few days.

"Um, yea, you were leaving me. I was scared because I had Lin to take care of." Toph said as she sat on the bed—Sokka wasn't let her help him.

"Toph I would _never_ leave you. I promise. I will stay by your side forever and always." Sokka replied. This set Toph at ease.

Sokka returned to packing their bags. Lin started fussing. Toph reached down into the Toph set her back into the crib. She got up to help Sokka pack their bags. "Oh, no, no. Sit down. I've got it." Sokka said, sitting Toph back on the bed. "You just relax right here until I'm done."

So that's what Toph did. Her eyelids were getting droopy so she laid down and closed them. She quickly fell into sleep's spell. Sokka adjusted her so that the blanket covered her body. Sokka continued packing until nightfall. Then, he climbed into bed next to Toph. He fell under sleep's spell. Lin's screams awoke him. He reluctantly moved from the warmth of the blankets. He lifted Lin from the crib and exited the room to the living room. Sokka cradled Lin until she fell asleep again. He replaced her in the crib and crept his way into the covers again. He accidently jostled the bed and Toph awoke.

"Go back to sleep." Sokka mumbled, rolling over. They fell asleep once again.

_The warm sand was soft on Toph's skin. The sea spray was salty on her neck. Sokka stood at the other end of the beach with Lin in his arms. She ran to him. He embraced her softly._ Sokka woke up sharply. That was the most wonderful dream. He climbed out of bed and walked to the kitchen to make breakfast. The smell of sea prunes and cooking seal bacon made Toph wake.

She exited the bedroom and saw Sokka cooking breakfast. "Good morning, Sunshine." He said enthusiastic.

"Hey." She mumbled.

"Breakfast will be ready soon just sit." Sokka said gently.

"Sokka do you remember when you tried to describe the moon on the ocean waves to me?"

_ Toph sat on the warm sand. She was staring blindly into the sea. The sand had dulled her senses as sand was only scattered earth particles. Sometimes it felt good to be scattered._

_ Toph had come to the Oceanside to find solace. Toph could here footsteps. She focused on them. "Snoozles?"_

_ "Yep. That's me." Sokka said, sitting next to Toph on the sand. "It's beautiful really. The ocean is. It's like cobalt silk beneath a ribbon of cream."_

_ "I aughta punch you into tomorrow for that." Toph said, still staring blindly into the sea._

_ Sokka was confused. "What for?"_

_ "You know I can't see it." Toph said sadly._

_ "Ok but you've dealt with this your whole life."_

_ Toph sighed. "It's just not fair. How I can't see. This wasn't supposed to happen. I was supposed to be my mom and dad's 'perfect' heir. Have I ever told you I was supposed to be a boy to?" Toph finished with a tinge of longing in her voice._

_ "What's this about Toph?" Sokka asked._

_ Toph leaned back on her hands. "I don't know. Maybe it's because I hate how all of you guys can see things and tell me about all of these beautiful sights when you know I can never see them. It almost seems like you expect me to imagine what it would look like when it's pretty obvious I won't be able to."_

_ "Oh Toph. I'm so sorry. I guess we don't think about it all the time."Sokka said apologetically. He stood to walk back to camp._

_ "Don't go." Toph pleaded, reaching up to grasp his ankle. He sat back down. _

_ Inching closer to Toph, Sokka turned to see her face. He swept a hair from her eyes. "Don't cover your eyes."_

_ "Why? They're ugly and blind."_

_ Sokka cocked his head to the side. "Don't say that, they're beautiful. Unique really."_

_ Toph chuckled. Why was he all of a sudden giving her complements? "Don't lie to me!" Toph protested._

_ "I'm not…I promise." Sokka said, placing a hand on Toph's. A blush soon bloomed across her cheeks. They became hot as well._

_ Sokka stood up to leave. He held his hand down for Toph. She took gratefully. As soon as she was on her feet, Toph sprung up on her tiptoes and gently planted a kiss on Sokka's cheek. "Thank you." Toph said, returning to her natural height._

_ "No problem. I'll be your eyes anytime." Sokka promised._

To this day, Toph's response, as well as his own, surprised and stunned him to the point of shock. Never in his life, had Sokka thought that their reactions could be that drastic. Sokka still thinks of his promise every day.

Lin soon began to fuss, snapping Toph and Sokka out of their flashback. Sokka walked briskly to fetch her. Back in the kitchen, he retrieved her high-chair from the pantry and set it by the table. He set her in it. Toph got to her feet and began to prepare a bottle.

Toph held the bottle to Lin's mouth and Lin began to drink. When Lin had drained the bottle, Toph got a cloth and held Lin to her shoulder. She softly began to pat Lin's back. Little burps were emitted from Lin's throat.

Having finished burping Lin, Toph threw the cloth in the wash and place Lin in her high-chair. Then, Toph sat down to eat her breakfast. She shoved the food into her mouth. Within minutes, her plate was completely empty. Sokka took it to the sink. Toph began to feel a little green. She stood and ran to the lou. She ripped open the door and knelt by the toilet. Soon thick vomit spewed from her mouth. When the contents of her stomach lay in the toilet, Toph stood up. She was a little shaky. Toph took out her toothbrush and brushed her teeth. She didn't want to have to put Sokka through having to smell her vomit breath.

"You ready to go?" Sokka asked when Toph emerged from the lou.

Sokka carried their bags and Toph held Lin as they walked onto the train. Toph chuckled; Sokka looked pretty hilarious, carrying all the bags. He insisted on doing, however. "I don't want you straining yourself." Sokka said, implying to Toph's being pregnant. "We never know. You carrying these bags could cause the little tyke to pop right out of your belly."

Toph chuckled as she sat down on a soft chair in their compartment. She placed her hands on her swollen stomach. Sokka set the bags down and sat down in the chair next to Toph and set his hand on hers. Toph's face contorted in pain. "What's wrong babe?" Sokka asked, concern entering his voice.

"Contractions." She groaned with pain.

Sokka's face fell. _You can't be going into labor now._ He thought._ We're on a train._

"Stay here." He commanded. Toph violently nodded her head. Sokka bolted from the train car to the conductor's car. "Um, excuse me sir. My wife is going into labor." Sokka said hurriedly.

"Oh, my, that is a problem isn't it? Go, be with your wife. Help will be there soon."

Sokka didn't need to be told twice. He raced to his compartment and knelt next to Toph—who at this point was screaming in pain—he clasped his hand around hers let her squeeze it until it was white. Sweat mixed with tears on her face. Nurses came rushing into the compartment with towels and a basin of water. The baby's face was beginning to appear. "Push." One of the nurses told Toph. Before long, the baby's entire bloody body was visible. Toph began to laugh and cry with joy.

The nurses handed Toph a healthy baby boy. They took him after a moment and washed him in the basin. They wrapped him in a blanket and handed him to Toph. "Daennan." She said softly.

"He's beautiful." Sokka said, brushing a hand on his cheek. He chuckled as Toph fell asleep and he took Daennan from her arms.

"Explain what he looks like to me." Toph asked as innocently as a child.

Sokka didn't hesitate. He grasped Toph's hand gently. "Trace his face." He set her fingers on the baby's face. "Feel his eyes? They are blue. Do you remember when I told you that blue is cool and refreshing like the rain? His eyes are kind of like that but different. They are deep, like the ocean. They are the same color as mine." Sokka moved Toph's fingers to Daennan's lips. "Feel his lips? They are red. Do you remember that time we were ambushed by those Firebenders?" Toph nodded. She remembered a little too well. Sokka continued. "Well red is like that, hot and passionate." Sokka moved Toph's fingers to Daennan's cheeks. "Feel how soft they are? Feel his cheek bones? They are nice and high like yours." Sokka moved her fingers to the baby's eyebrows. "These are his eyebrows. They are nice and full. Black too. Black is like most metal, it's neutral too."

Sokka continued to move Toph's fingers to one of Daennan's features and describe them until he had described them all. "Thank you." Toph said softly.

"I promised you I would be your eyes anytime."

The trained lurched to a stop, its brakes screeching in a high pitch, in Ba Sing Se. Sokka helped Toph stand and walk from the train. A nurse carried their bags and another two carried Lin and Daennan. They entered the Jade Dragon. Iroh gasped when he saw his old friends. Toph sat in a chair and cradled Daennan in her arms. Iroh stepped from behind the counter and approached the table where Toph sat.

"He looks to be a strong one. You'll have your hands full." Iroh chuckled.

"Yes, I will." Toph said happily. "I already do." At this Iroh and Toph shared a laugh.

Sokka descended the staircase from the apartment on top of the tea shop. He walked to Toph, kissed her neck, and sat next to her, holding Lin.

"Two of them?" Iroh questions.

"Yes, this is Lin, Toph's younger sister who we have adopted." Sokka begins.

"And this one is Daennan." Toph finished, planting a soft kiss on Daennan's forehead. Toph and Sokka get caught up in conversation and tea drinking with Iroh before long. The door opened and Toph's head turned to it. Aang entered, his arm is wrapped around Katara's waist.

"Hey guys." Katara said before breaking from Aang to give Toph a hug. "Oh, congratulations." She said after seeing the newborn child.

Toph beamed. "Thanks."

Katara gently gave her a hug from the side. Aang slapped Sokka on the back. "Congrats bro."

"Oh come on, we always _knew_ this was gonna happen." Sokka said, being his usual goofy self. Toph loved him for it.

_Yea, he's a goofball but he's mine and that's all that matters. _Toph thought as Sokka wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck a couple times. She smiled. Sokka loved her and that was all that mattered.

The group of friends spent the night catching up, having a laugh, and drinking gallons of tea—so much they all got stomach aches. "Guys I bet I can make Toph speechless." Sokka said suddenly.

"Ok do it." Aang encouraged.

"Toph, do you know how long I've loved you?" Sokka asked.

Toph replied slowly. "No…" Her voice drifted off into nothingness.

"I've loved you since the very, _very,_ first day I saw you, all those years ago when you where thirteen." Sokka was right this caused Toph to be speechless. "Guys I bet I can do it again."

"Pff! Doubt it." Toph was resistant.

"Fine. I. Will. Show. You." Sokka said, gritting his teah. "Do you know how long I will love you for?"

"No."

Sokka swallowed and moved his lips to her ear. "Forever and always." He whispered and kissed her ear gently.

Sokka was right:

For the second time that night—probably in her entire life—Toph was speechless.


End file.
